We all want our companies to look neat, but designing a logo is about more than that. Logos have a deeper power — they showcase what your business is about, give you credibility, and hopefully have a positive impact on your audience.

Logos affect the subconscious of consumers, who attach emotions and attitudes to company’s images. There are several ways to create an effective logo so you can make the most of your one chance to make an impression:

Your logo should communicate your identity.

It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking a logo should come first, and then you can frame your brand around it. In fact, the opposite is true.

Before you create or redesign your logo, you should consider taking time to look at your core values (often found in your mission statement and history). You should be able to answer who you are, what the organization is about, and how you want your customers to feel when they interact with your company.

Your logo should communicate values, keywords, and other design elements that are personal to you, but will also resonate with your audience.

Your logo should be memorable.

This seems obvious — you want your customers to remember your company the next time they need your product or service. The easiest way to make your logo unique is to make the design distinct. For example, if your business sells outdoor products, don’t put mountains in your logo. REI has already done that.

How do you know your logo will be remembered? Answer this: if you replace your name with a competitor’s, would your audience know the difference? Your customers should see your logo and immediately associate it with your organization.

Your logo should be simplistic.

You can give your logo meaning and individuality without overdoing it. Think about the logo of global phenomenon McDonald’s. Golden arches in the shape of the letter “M.” It’s as simple as that, and when we see it, we recognize it.

Choose one symbol or acronym for your organization and let that be the focus. Less is almost always more!

Your logo should be right.

Take your time with the logo design and approval process. Logos stick, so you want to make sure you get it right the first time.

Sometimes it helps to bring in different people to give their feedback — think about your customers and board members, and especially your employees. Give honest feedback to your marketing team, and don’t sign off on anything until it feels right to all involved in the organization.

Need help redesigning your logo? RSPR has the corporate logo and branding services that can transform your company. Contact us today to get started.

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Slow or Inattentive Customer Service

Nobody likes to be ignored, and in today’s socially-connected world, a customer who feels ignored or unimportant can very easily share their frustrations with countless others. Not only are customers likely to leave your business and never return, but also negative online reviews can seriously damage your brand’s overall credibility with consumers.

Over-Promising and Under-Delivering

Research shows customers are often willing to pay a bit more if it means they will be receiving a premium product or service. The problem arises when a brand fails to deliver a product or service of the expected quality. Make sure your company is providing the level of service your customers believe their money warrants.

Ignoring Your Customers

It’s also a bad idea to act overly detached or disinterested in your customers. Consumers want to feel important and cared for. While you shouldn’t pester people after they make a purchase, try to make a connection with them and start a conversation. Word-of-mouth marketing requires connecting with the right influencers for your brand, so a follow-up message asking customers about the quality of their experience is a good idea.

Treating Some Customers Better Than Others

Showing preference for one type of customer over another makes sense for some businesses, such as airlines and their frequent flyer programs. Generally, however, providing perks for one group of customers and not another is an easy way to end up being disliked by the group that doesn’t receive the perks. This means your business should be treating public figures exactly the same as John Doe from down the street.

Failing to Provide Human Interaction

Customer service often ignores the second word in that phrase: service. Customers who call a customer service number expect to be helped, so when they end up talking to a machine telling them to “Press 1 now,” they end up frustrated. One of the easiest ways to lose a customer and make them have negative feelings towards your brand is to make them feel helpless when they have an issue with your product or service. Try your best to offer 24-hour support that will actually help your customers solve problems.

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Don’t be afraid to be different.
Being different is vital for value growth. It makes brands seem creative, in control, and trustworthy in the eyes of consumers. However, this doesn’t mean throwing a brand’s entire strategy out the window. Companies should think of ways they can diverge from the norm while staying true to the company’s value proposition.

Have a strong brand proposition.
Although every organization is looking to make money, the brands that can clearly articulate their mission beyond the financial incentive will deliver prime customer experience and stand out in the marketplace.

Help marketing empower the entire organization.
Technology has enabled employees to be more collaborative than before. If marketers can clearly define their brand purpose, then they can help other divisions better understand how that purpose applies to their roles.

Remember that great people build great brands.
Hiring and maintaining the right talent is essential for marketing. Companies should think of their employees as their greatest advocates.

Make learning a Key Performance Indicator.
No marketer knows everything. Companies should make learning a priority and a key benchmark. Companies who learn faster than their competitors will be the true winners.

Source: Direct Marketing

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